To brew a new tea that is perfect in color, aroma, and taste, the quality of water is very important. The chlorine in tap water can ruin the flavor of tea, so it is recommended to boil tap water for 5 minutes before brewing tea. Additionally, water containing a certain amount of air is beneficial for releasing the tea's fragrance; therefore, it should not be boiled for too long to avoid reducing its air content. Moreover, the excessive minerals in mineral water can affect the taste of tea, making it unsuitable for brewing tea.
The right amount of tea leaves is crucial. New tea has a more concentrated flavor, and using too many tea leaves during brewing can negatively impact the taste and texture. A single serving of tea should consist of 1 teaspoon of new tea leaves with 200 milliliters of hot water, ensuring the tea flavor is just right.
Controlling the brewing temperature is essential. There are numerous varieties of new tea, and each requires a different water temperature for optimal brewing. In general, the greener the appearance and color of the tea leaves, the lower the water temperature should be. Overall, boiling water is commonly used to brew Tieguanyin tea leaves, which promotes the dispersion of Tieguanyin tea's aroma. Since vitamin C in Tieguanyin tea leaves is less likely to decompose, there’s no need to worry about boiling water destroying the vitamin C.
Some people believe that the fresher the tea leaves, the better, thinking that freshly picked tea leaves are the best. However, this belief is incorrect. New tea refers to tea leaves harvested within the past month. These leaves have not been stored for a sufficient period, and the polyphenols, alcohols, and aldehydes they contain have not been fully oxidized. Drinking such new tea for an extended period may cause discomforts like diarrhea or bloating.
To distinguish between new and old tea, experts have introduced three methods for identifying new tea:
One, observe its color. Green tea has a vivid green color with a bright yellow-green infusion; black tea has a dark luster with a red-orange infusion that glows, marking it as new tea. During storage, some substances responsible for the tea leaves' color gradually decompose or oxidize under the influence of light, air, and heat. For example, the chlorophyll in green tea breaks down and oxidizes, causing the green tea to lose its vibrant hue and become dull and lifeless. An increase in tea brown pigment also makes the green tea infusion appear murky and lackluster, losing its original fresh color. Long-term storage of black tea leads to the oxidation and condensation of tea polyphenols in the tea leaves, resulting in a darker color, while an increase in tea brown pigments causes the infusion to become cloudy and loses the freshness of new black tea.
Two, smell its aroma. Scientific analysis shows that there are over 300 components that make up the aroma of tea leaves, mainly consisting of alcohols, esters, aldehydes, etc. These components can continuously volatilize and slowly oxidize during tea storage. Therefore, as time passes, the aroma of tea changes from strong to weak, and the fragrance evolves from the fresh and rich aroma of new tea to a low, muffled, and mixed scent.
Three, taste its flavor. During storage, the phenolic compounds, amino acids, and vitamins in tea that contribute to its flavor either decompose and volatilize or condense into substances insoluble in water, thereby reducing the effective flavor substances soluble in the tea infusion. Thus, regardless of the type of tea, new tea generally has a rich and refreshing taste, whereas aged tea tastes bland and lacks freshness.